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Demand Stronger Protections on PM2.5 Air Pollution

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a proposal to strengthen the annual standard for fine particulate matter, also known as PM2.5, from its current level of 12 µg/m3 to within the range of 9-10 µg/m3.

While EPA's proposal is a step in the right direction, it needs to be stronger to protect public health from this deadly pollutant. PM2.5 carries many health risks and is known to cause premature death, asthma attacks, hospitalizations, and an uptick in emergency room visits for cardiopulmonary diseases. A tougher standard could prevent as many as 4,200 premature deaths, 270,000 avoided lost workdays, and save as much as $43 billion in healthcare spending in 2032.

Send the EPA a message urging the agency to adopt the strongest standard possible to protect public health.

*Please personalize the letter to the right. The Subject Line must include Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2015-0072.

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Demand Stronger Protections on PM2.5

EPA Administrator Michael Regan

Subject: Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2015-0072

Message:

I urge the EPA to set stronger National Ambient Air Quality Standards for fine particulate matter pollution of no higher than 8 micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m3) for the annual standard and no higher than 25 μg/m3 for the 24-hour standard. Fine particulate matter, also known as PM2.5 or soot, is a grave threat to human health. We need the EPA to recognize that anything weaker than the 8 μg/m3 annual and 25 μg/m3 24-hour levels recommended by leading medical groups will only lead to avoidable emergency room visits and hospitalizations. Fine particulates are known drivers of respiratory disease, heart disease, preterm and low birth weight babies, and deaths. In fact, a recent study found that an annual standard of 8 μg/m3 would save nearly four times as many lives as an annual standard of 10 μg/m3. Strengthening EPA’s standards on particulate matter pollution will also advance environmental justice. A significant body of research has established that people of color in this country breathe more soot-polluted air, on average, than white people due to communities of color tending to be located near sources of this deadly pollutant. For example, a recent study found that the disparity in soot exposure between white Americans and black, Latino, and Asian Americans was consistent across the country, in rural and urban settings, and at all income levels. The EPA’s work to implement and enforce the Clean Air Act has yielded enormous public health benefits and saved countless lives over the years. The Agency must continue that work by setting the strongest, science-based PM standards to protect our air, advance environmental justice, and safeguard our health.

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Demand Stronger Protections on PM2.5 Air Pollution

Demand Stronger Protections on PM2.5

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